Analytical devices capable of determining various parameters in whole blood with the aid of ion-selective electrodes have been used in intensive care units and in the field of anaesthetics. Blood gases, such as carbon dioxide and oxygen, can be measured using ion selective electrodes. An ion selective electrode consists of an electrochemical half-cell (an internal electrolyte solution and an internal reference electrode) and a sensing membrane. These types of electrodes are used to measure one type of ion in the presence of other ions in the bodily fluids. To obtain accurate measurements, a set of calibration solutions are used to calibrate the electrodes.
In addition to calibration, the tests run on clinical chemical analyzers are verified by specific control solutions. Under ideal conditions, control materials used in the verification of instrumentation performance should have essentially the same constituents as those present in the fluid which is to be subjected to analysis.
Most blood gas instruments are currently calibrated using a buffer for the pH and humidified gases for carbon dioxide and oxygen. Some instruments use tonometer buffer inside the instrument and use this liquid for equilibration. Blood gas instruments that also measure electrolytes have separate solutions for calibration and control of the ion selective electrodes. The electrolyte calibrator and control solutions do not currently contain all the blood gas parameters.